Dr. T. Wayne Perry

Wednesday

Apr 26, 2017 at 10:05 AMApr 26, 2017 at 10:06 AM

Dr. T. Wayne Perry passed away at the age of 97 on April 11, 2017, in Van Buren due to natural causes. He was a resident of Legacy Heights Retirement Home in Van Buren for a number of years and previously lived in West Lafayette, Ind.

Wayne was born on June 21, 1919, in Timewell, Ill., to Tilden Perry and Edna Mills Perry. He grew up with three siblings and he spent much of his childhood raising livestock on his parents’ farm in western Illinois. He graduated from Clayton High School, Clayton Ill. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Wayne received both his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University. During World War II, he worked on the Manhattan Project building the world’s first nuclear pile under the Chicago University football stands. Subsequently, he was hired in the Animal Science Department of Purdue University where he conducted classes and research in the area of beef cattle nutrition. He received many awards and much recognition in his field, capped by receiving the Morrison Award in 1991, the highest recognition awarded by his profession. Wayne retired from Purdue as a professor emeritus in 1989.

Wayne and his first wife, Annette Leonard, had two sons. He later married his current wife, Virginia “Ena” Lorene Alvy of Van Buren, in 1974. Wayne was the proud father of Harold (deceased), James and stepson Mark Remes. He is the grandfather of Jessica Davis, Stirling Perry, Kelly Carling and Nick Remes. He has four great grandchildren, Ebba, Cissi, Cato and Toby.

He often said the most important things in his life, in rank order were his Lord, his family and his work.

“Perfection is impossible; just do your very best.”

Arrangement and cremation are under the direction of Ocker Funeral Home in Van Buren. No formal service will be held at this time.

Online tributes: www.ockerfuneralhome.com.

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